Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is the second episode of the second season of Gargoyles, and the fifteenth episode overall. Cast Summary Note: this episode summary contains spoilers, so do not read it if you have not seen the episode and do not want spoilers. On the streets, the homeless huddle around a fire for warmth. A woman, Maggie Reed, explains to an older man leaning on a cane that her homelessness is just temporary. He offers her a job as a temporary assistant, smiling sinisterly. Elisa is at an airport, eating a hot-dog while waiting to meet up with her brother, Derek. He lands the plane he was flying and joins her. The two have a brief argument about Xanatos, but he crosses his heart and swears that he still loves her, as he is her brother. That night, at Gen-U-Tech, a female winged creature attacks some scientists or guards while making her escape. The man with the cane watches as she flees. Broadway and Brooklyn are on patrol when they spot the creature. Thinking it's Demona, so they land to investigate. The female, resembling a humanoid lion with wings, backs away from the two gargoyles, asking them not to hurt her. Two vans with sirens approach, and armed guards run out. They open fire on the three in the alley, Brooklyn tries to pull the female to safety, but she backs off in fear, dropping a bracelet marked Gen-U-Tech. The guards recapture the creature, putting her in the van. In a vain attempt to rescue the female, Brooklyn gets hit by a tranquilizer and Broadway carries him off. They watch from the shadows as the two vans drive away. Back at Castle Wyvern, Owen informs Xanatos that Gen-U-Tech has been hiring armed mercenaries. Xanatos decides to visit Dr. Sevarius, and Derek insists on attending. Broadway and Brooklyn explain to their clan what happened, arguing over whether or not the female creature wanted or needed their help. The next day back at Gen-U-Tech, Sevarius, who was the man to give Maggie a job, informs Xanatos and Derek of his progress in creating gargoyle-like creatures using the genes of jungle cats, and bats. In order to make up for the enrgy required by the wings, Sevarius explains he's using electric eels. Derek questions him further, as he still hasn't explained why he needed mercenaries. Sevarius explains that one of the test subjects escaped and he needed the mercenaries to recapture her. He reveals three creatures, two males and the female; he also revels that he mutated humans to create them. Xanatos promises Derek that he'll reverse the mutations. Sevarius shoots a dart at Xanatos, but Derek intercepts it. Curious as to why he doesn't feel tired, Sevarius laughs and reveals to Derek that the dart was filled with the mutagenic formula, not tranquilizer. Xanatos demands that Sevarius cure Derek. Elisa and Matt Bluestone show up, and Xanatos threatens to tell them everything despite the connections to himself. Sevarius agrees to create the antidote. Derek says he's feeling lousy. At the clock tower, Elisa explains her frustration at not being able to take down Sevarius. Back at the lab, Xanatos guards Sevarius as he works on the antidote. Derek continues to mutate. The Manhattan Clan awakens, and Brooklyn sets off to rescue the female. Goliath stops Brooklyn, because Goliath has a plan to rescue her. He, Brooklyn, and Lexington break into the Gen-U-Tech labs, Lexington uses his computer skills to locate her. When they find her, she hits an alarm, and guards rush in, shooting her with a tranquilizer. Fleeing the guards, the three gargoyles burst into the room with Sevarius, Xanatos, and Derek, just as Sevarius is about to give Derek the cure. In the confusion, the cure gets smashed, and the gargoyles begin to flee with the female. Sevarius grabs Goliath, trying to save his creation, the female, but is thrown off by Goliath. He crashes into tank holding the electric eels, shattering it, and gets electrocuted. Xanatos announces that Sevarius is dead. Derek expresses his grief and swears vengance against the gargoyles. The female awakens at the clock tower, asking the gargoyles if they were once humans too. When they tell her no, she explains she is not a monster, her name is Maggie Reed, and she just needs a cure. Brooklyn seems depressed. Shocked by their transformation into stone, Maggie slumps to the ground, holding herself. Elisa and Matt investigate at the lab, where Elisa discovers Gen-U-Tech belongs to Xanatos. When the clan awakens, they discover that Maggie has run away. They decide to go to the castle, where Derek and the other mutates are practicing flying. Xanatos tells Owen to find the best geneticist on the planet. When the gargoyles arrive, the mutates engage them in aerial battle. Elisa arrives and stops the mutate (who is, unknown to her, Derek) from injuring or killing Goliath. He tells her to call him Talon and that Goliath made him as he is. Elisa figures out that he is Derek. When she makes the discovery, he hides in his wings while she tells him it's all Xanatos' fault. He accidentally shocks her, and feeling mortified, he flies off. Elisa tells Xanatos that she will take him down, no matter what it takes. Later, Owen presents the best geneticist on the planet. Sevarius reveals himself, without the disguise as the old man with the cane, and claims he was very proud of his death scene. Xanatos exclaims that Talon's delusions of Xanatos as his only hope for salvation will keep him in Xanatos' power. Notes * This episode sees the birth of the Mutates ** Elisa's brother Derek is transformed into Talon. *** "Talon" will go on to act, initially unofficialy, as a leader of the Mutates, and later of the Labyrinth Clan, which built around them. ** In this episode, the Mutates are depicted with tails. By their next appearance, and for the remainder of the series, the tails are gone. * This episode also introduces Anton Sevarius, who will go on to become a recurring enemy of the Manhattan Clan, usually in conjunction with Xanatos. Trivia * The characters, Talon and Sevarius, developed from a character called Cat-Scan. He was intended to be a mad scientist who mutates himself. References Memorable Quotes *Derek Maza: Go ahead try something! I'd love to do that again! Funny, I don't feel sleepy. * Dr. Anton Sevarius: chuckles Fool! That wasn't a tranquilizer dart. It was loaded with a mutagenic formula. The same formula I used on them! *David Xanatos: trying to enter Genu-Tech How are you feeling? *Derek Maza: Pretty lousy. *David Xanatos: Just say the word, and I'll have her brought up here. Don't worry about me. This is as much my fault as it is Sevarius'. *Derek Maza: No! I can't face her now. Not until he's cured me. *Elisa Maza: Look, just promise you'll call if there's trouble. *Derek Maza: There won't be, but okay. I promise. *Elisa Maza: Cross your heart... *Derek Maza: And hope to die. *Elisa Maza: Now calmly. Who *are* you? *Talon: chuckle Call me "Talon." *Elisa Maza: Okay, "Talon." Why are you stomping on my friend here? *Talon: Your "friend" made me like this. *Elisa Maza: Impossible. Goliath would never intentionally harm anyone. Look, I want to help you. *Talon: Promise? *Elisa Maza: Cross my heart... *Talon: And hope to... *Elisa Maza: DEREK? Derek is that you? *Elisa Maza: Now it's war, Xanatos! You're going down for this. I promise you! No matter what it takes! *Goliath: Where are you going? *Brooklyn: To find her! She needs my help. *Broadway: sarcastically Yeah, right. *Brooklyn: You don't know anything about her! *Goliath: And neither do you! Rushing off without a plan won't help her. *turns and prepares to fly off *Goliath: And I have a plan. *turns around Episode Guide Category:Episodes Category:Season 2 Episodes